Wireless carriers aren't solely to blame for slowing down the update process. Differences in chipsets and radio bands can also introduce delays, Christy Wyatt, Motorola's senior vice president and general manager of enterprise business, in February.

Still, the Nexus model is, in theory, supposed to allow for faster updates, because Google retains control over the software. Apparently that's not always the case anymore. The same carrier approval process that slows the delivery of vital bug fixes for non-Nexus phones seems to be affecting Google's Nexus devices as well.

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The lag by wireless carriers in delivering updates may have influenced Google's decision to start selling the unlocked Galaxy Nexus directly for just $400. As Google Android boss Andy Rubin , the company originally started the Nexus program two years ago “to give you a pure Google experience and access to the latest Android updates.” Bypassing wireless carriers may be the only way to make sure the updates keep flowing.

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